The consumer body Which? has called on car manufacturers to fit electronic stability controls (ESC) as standard after one of its drivers overturned a Citroën Nemo in a test in Germany.

The high-sided multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), a popular choice with families, rolled over after being put through an emergency obstacle avoidance manoeuvre at 50mph. The consumer group said it was the first car to roll over "in a very long time".

The virtually identical Fiat Qubo MPV, fitted with stability control, passed without incident. ESC can brake individual wheels to correct a skid and maintain the driver's desired course. While Fiat, Citroën, and Peugeot all manufacture variants of the same tested car, only the Fiat Quobo is offered with ESC as an optional extra, costing £310, and even then only on diesel models.

Which? senior researcher George Marshall-Thornhill said: "This test highlights the importance of stability control. Which? wants all cars to be fitted with stability control as standard, as research by the Department for Transport has shown ESC-equipped vehicles are involved in 25% fewer fatal road accidents. Such a vital safety feature shouldn't be optional – it should be built in from the start."

He said the test, which was conducted in conjunction with the German motoring group ADAC, replicates what happens when a driver changing motorway lane swerves to avoid an accident.

The potentially lifesaving measure isn't offered as an option on any Citroën Nemo or the similar Peugeot Bipper Tippee models.

"The test is an extreme form of driving that few motorists will ever encounter. That said, we are taking the findings seriously and will now move to fit electronic stability controls to all our models as soon as is practically possible." Peugeot is to do the same.

From 2012, European legislation requires all new cars to have ESC as standard, and for existing model ranges it must be standard by 2014.Rival manufacturers have led the field in this respect. The new Volkswagen Polo has stability control fitted as standard across its range.